Sales were exceptional in vendor’s first appearance
Staff writer
The Hillsboro Arts and Craft Fair continues to be one of the largest in the state with more than 300 vendors attending to sell their wares each year on the third Saturday of September.
Vendors such as Gina Hook have been preparing diligently for Hillsboro Arts and Crafts Fair on Saturday.
This is Hook’s second year selling at the Hillsboro show. She will be located close to Hillsboro Ford this year. She makes items for babies and toddlers. Her company is called Neat Seat and More.
“I make different things to help mommy and daddy care for their kids,” she said. “I make shopping cart and high chair covers, as well as something we called a towelpron.”
A towelpron is an apron made of towel fabric that keeps parents dry while bathing little ones and after can be used to dry them.
Hook said she expects to do well at the show this year. She has made hundreds of items over the last few months to prepare. She said she sews continuously as a way to unwind and to restock her supply.
“We did exceptionally well last year and sold 95 items our first year. We hope to do better or close to the same as that by selling at least 50 more,” she said. “Were thinking if we do we might attend the show every year.”
Hook said she attended the show 20 years ago, and after she starting selling at shows, thought it would be the perfect place to sell her high chair and shopping cart covers. She will have help from her daughter, Emily Moulin, and husband, Wayne Hook.
“This year we have a double booth so people will have room to come in and see what we’re selling,” she said. “Me and Emily will be helping customers and Wayne will be running credit cards, and getting us lunch,” she said jokingly.
Hook had to submit photos of her items to be considered by a panel of judges that determine what new vendors can sell at the show.
Tanner Lacy of Hillsboro, submitted his work before the judging panel for the first time. His booth, featuring pottery, will be located in front of Emprise Bank on Grand Ave.
“I specialize in things that are useful like dishes, mugs, and oil lamps,” Lacy said. “It’s a hobby, but I was getting to have quite a lot of pieces laying around and thought this would be a good way to get rid of some of them.”
If Lacy does well at the show, he said he would consider making and selling pottery more of a career.
“It’s stress relieving,” he said. “I figure start small and see what people like and see if there’s a possibility of making a business of it.”
Lacy started potting in 2011 after taking an elective pottery class at Tabor College.
“I loved playing in the mud as a kid, so pottery worked out great for me,” he said.
Lacy has his own kiln and throwing wheel in his house. He already has 200 pieces made, but hopes to have several hundred more before Saturday.
With the help of his wife, Hanna, and a friend, Lacy hopes to do well at the show and enter more throughout the year.
Lacy and Hook will be two of 300 vendors that will line the streets for the arts and crafts show.